Author Notes
Start the crust a couple of hours before you want to eat; it needs some time in the refrigerator and the freezer before it’s baked. Better yet, make it in the morning or the night before so you only have to prepare the filling. You’ll need a 9? tart pan with a removable bottom for this recipe. —Pinch&Swirl
Test Kitchen Notes
Pinch&Swirl’s tart makes a full, satisfying meal when paired with a vegetable or salad. The crust comes together nicely, with the whole wheat flour adding flavor, and freezing it ensures that it won’t shrink when baked. Even as quiches or savory tarts go, the filling is quite rich and would benefit from some acid (lemon juice or zest) or spring greens mixed in. In step 4, I’d recommend browning the bacon, setting it aside, and draining off all but one tablespoon of fat. Once the leeks and green garlic start to sweat, the bacon never crisps up and stays a little soggy in the finished tart. —EmilyC
Ingredients
- For the crust:
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1 cup
white whole wheat flour (120 grams)
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1/2 cup
unbleached, all-purpose flour (68 grams)
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1/4 teaspoon
fine sea salt
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10 tablespoons
very cold, unsalted butter (5 ounces, 1 cube plus 2 tablespoons), cut into 10 or 12 pieces
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1
egg, beaten
- For the filling:
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3
strips bacon, diced
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2
large leeks (white parts), sliced in half lengthwise, then across into 1/8? strips
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2 tablespoons
chopped green garlic
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1 pinch
fine sea salt
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3
eggs
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1/2 cup
sour cream
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1/2 teaspoon
fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
-
1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
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3 ounces
Gruyere cheese, shredded
Directions
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To make the tart crust, add both flours and salt to the bowl of a food processor; pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle butter over top and pulse several times until the largest butter pieces you see are a bit larger than a pea. Pour egg over flour mixture and pulse several times, until clumps begin to form. Turn mixture out onto a work surface. Quickly gather the dough together into a ball, knead it just enough so that you can form it into a 6" disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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After 30 minutes, transfer the tart dough to a work surface lightly sprinkled with flour. Roll dough into a 12 inch round; lift and turn the dough often to keep it from sticking. Place your rolling pin over one end of the dough round and roll it up. Unroll the dough over a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom, doing your best to center it. Gently press dough on bottom and sides of pan (patch any torn or short areas); trim dough to 1/2 inch overhang. Fold overhang to create a double-thick edge and pierce all over with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1/2 an hour, preferably longer (see headnote).
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When you're ready to bake the crust, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim a piece of foil to fit and place on bottom crust. Cover foil with pie weights (whole beans that you don't plan to cook work well too). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Return crust to oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees; bake 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside. (If your filling is ready, you can pour it right in and bake.)
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For the filling, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon; cook and stir until fat begins to render, about 3 minutes. Add leeks, green garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir about 10 minutes more, until leeks and garlic are soft and bacon is cooked through. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, thyme, and pepper. Stir in Gruyere and bacon mixture. Pour into crust and bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until set in the center.
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Remove from oven; transfer to serving platter and garnish with thyme sprigs. Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
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